Shelter Dogs of the Week

MAYSVILLE — Are you looking for a perfect partner to share your life with? Someone who’s loyal, attractive and likes to play? Then come on over to the Mason County Animal Shelter and ask to meet Prince Phillip. You’ll be impressed with the black labrador’s good manners and friendly personality. He’s the quintessential family dog and is well-behaved enough to fit in with an older pet parent or a family with young children. He’s been in the shelter for several weeks and has been treated for some breathing issues, but this trooper is on the mend. Prince Phillip needs some love and he’s hoping you’re the one to give it to him.

If Nolan was a human man, he’d be unattainable to most of us. He’s drop-dead gorgeous and knows it. This 14-month-old fellow has a lot of energy and would prefer a fenced yard to race around or a farm where he could do some work. Nolan was a perfect gentleman when staff recently selected him to visit the Licking Valley Senior Center. He loves the elderly and children and walks well on a leash. He’s a little over a year old and extremely smart. This handsome boy is a thinker and will keep you on your toes, but if you give Nolan a chance, he’ll be your best friend for life.

Chloe is Nolan’s sister and she’s as pretty as she is sweet. She’s a little smaller than her brother but keeps up with him just fine. Chloe is gentle and gets along well with other dogs. She would love to spend her days playing with your kids, going for long walks and eating vanilla ice cream with you on hot summer days. Chloe is very social and gets along with everyone she meets. If you’re ready to adopt, lovely Chloe might just be the dog for you.

Having to say goodbye is something every pet owner dreads but has to face eventually. It’s the most difficult part of having a dog. Our beloved fur babies tend to live a short life span compared to us.

You’re probably familiar with the idea of “dog years” compared to “human years.” Growing up, we were told that the equivalent of one year in the life of a human was roughly seven years in a dog’s life. The fact that our little puppies will soon be older than us in human years is depressing.

In hindsight, it’s more of an oversimplified explanation for the fact that dogs’ life spans are considerably shorter than those of humans. The average lifespan of a person in the United States in 2021 was 76.6 years, whereas dogs usually only live for 10 to 13 years. Lifespans vary greatly from breed to breed and size is also a factor. A small chihuahua could live to a ripe old age of twenty, while a Great Dane usually doesn’t reach 11 years old.

Regardless of the type of senior dog you have, it’s a good idea to prepare yourself emotionally to say goodbye and have a plan for their passing in order to protect them from suffering. As difficult as it is to think about, making decisions ahead of time can help your fur baby have a quiet and easy death, which is something we all want for our pets.

Most pet owners agonize over whether it’s the right time to put their precious fur baby to sleep. Euthanasia is a hard choice, but when your dog’s health is declining rapidly, you need to determine its quality of life using the HHHHHMM Scale. Those letters stand for hurt, hunger, hydration, hygiene, happiness, mobility, and having more good days than bad. Each factor is scored on a scale of 0 to 10. This should be done separately by you and the veterinarian because it can be very easy to rate your pet higher on some points than a medical professional would.

According to some experts, focusing on the good days versus the bad is probably the most objective way a pet owner can make the decision. You can write down a list of things that your dog enjoys doing, then keep track of how many days they can’t do those things compared to how many days they can.

Although modern veterinary medicine can extend a dog’s life, this isn’t always what’s best for the dog. While they can’t necessarily tell you they’re suffering, they can show you if they aren’t having a good time anymore.

When the time is near, discussing the decision with family members and your vet about euthanasia is the next step. Your veterinarian will be able to answer any questions you may have and the different options available. Sometimes palliative care is a good choice if you want to extend your pet’s life, but you must consider the costs and the animal’s quality of life. No matter how much you love your dog, your decisions should reflect what’s best for them, and not necessarily your desire to keep them alive for your own sake.

Once you, your family and the vet have agreed that euthanasia is the right thing to do under the circumstances, it’s time to plan for the procedure. If at all possible, have your vet’s office calculate the costs ahead of time and pay upfront. The last thing you want to do when you’re upset about just losing your pet is to stand at a counter and pay the bill.

You also must consider what you will do with your dog’s remains afterward. There are several options—burying the dog in your yard or cremation. Although uncommon, some people opt to donate their pet’s organs for research or transplantation.

Some veterinarians will travel to your home to perform euthanasia where your pet is in familiar surroundings and this also gives other family members the opportunity to say their goodbyes. It’s also a good idea to take the day off from work. You probably won’t feel like going back after the procedure.

Whether you decide to stay with your pet in those last moments is up to you. There are good arguments for and against being present, but studies show that when an owner chooses to stay away in their pet’s final moments, they regret it later. But it’s a personal preference and there’s no right or wrong choice.

A good vet will let you spend as long as you want alone with your dog both before and after the procedure. One big question people have is whether they want to be there during euthanasia. It isn’t absolutely necessary and a vet will never require it. There are valid arguments for and against being present, although the most commonly reported negative of not being there is a sense of regret for having abandoned the dog in her final moments. Many pet owners wouldn’t even think of not being there, but it really is a matter of personal preference with no right or wrong choice.

Following your dog’s passing, it’s usually a good idea to take the time to recover from your loss before sprinting out to replace your pet. Once you’ve gone through the grieving process, adopting a new pet can be exciting and bring positive energy and joy back into your home.

Although saying goodbye is hard to do, we can console ourselves by knowing that by rescuing that dog we gave it a happy life full of love and we’ll always have those pleasant memories. The best tribute you can pay to a dog you’ve lost is to give another dog a second chance and you’ll find many wonderful dogs to choose from at the Mason County Animal Shelter.

The Friends of the Mason County Animal Shelter is a group of volunteers who work diligently to assist shelter animals to find homes through spaying/neutering, medicating, exercising, grooming, training, rescuing, fostering, and social media. Volunteers are available to help you through the adoption process and assist you in finding your perfect dog match. The group is currently raising money to match a $5,000 donation from a local philanthropist, and they need your help to do it. Please consider donating to www.tinyurl.com/hsbt-give to help shelter animals get fixed, stay healthy, and find their forever homes. Just make a notation on your donation for it to go towards a shelter dog or cat and to match the 5K fundraiser.

The shelter has been over capacity for many months and is just now seeing the numbers drop due to the volunteers’ hard work and dedication. Your contribution will aid volunteers in continuing the progress they’ve made and to do even greater things in the future.

For your meet and greet with Prince Phillip, Nolan, or any of the other lovelies at the MCAS, head on over to 301 River Drive in Maysville. Shelter hours are noon to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and until 6 p.m. on Fridays. The facility is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. Arrangements can be made for special visitation. The shelter’s phone number is 606-564-6067. You can also contact shelter staff at [email protected] for inquiries.

The Facebook page, Friends of the Mason County Animal Shelter, provides information and pictures of shelter animals that are available for adoption. Follow their page for updates and to show your support for the movement.

The best way to stop the flood of unwanted pets into your local animal shelter is to spay or neuter your pets. The Humane Society of Buffalo Trace offers $50 vouchers to assist with the cost of spaying/neutering. You can access their online application at www.bit.ly/hsbt-snap. If you have any questions, you can visit HSBT’s Facebook page.

https://fixfinder.org is another option to find low-cost spay/neuter options around the area.